European Mediterranean Region Research Articles

Patterns of endemism along an elevation gradient in Sierra Nevada (Spain) and Lefka Ori (Crete, Greece)

Aim: High mountains in the Mediterranean region of Europe are particularly rich in endemic vascular plants. We aimed to compare the altitudinal patterns of vascular plant species richness and the proportion of endemic species in two Mediterranean region: Lefka Ori on the island of Crete (Greece) and Sierra Nevada on the Iberian peninsula. Location: Sierra Nevada, Granada (Spain); Lefka Ori, Crete (Greece). Methods: Data from standardised permanent plots settings on summit sites (comprising eight plot sectors, covering the upeermost 10 altitudinal metres) of different elevations were used (GLORIA Multi-Summit approach; www.gloria.ac.at). Species numbers, rates of endemic species, and soils temperature were compared by means of ANCOVA and linear regression. Results: The two regions, though climatically similar, showed strikingly different patterns: In Sierra Nevada, the proportion of endemic vascular plants (species restricted to Sierra Nevada) showed a stepwise increase from the lowest to the highest summit. In contrast, the proportion of endemic species restricted to Crete was not significantly different between the four summits in Lefka Ori. In both regions the observed trends were largely consistent with the altitudinal distribution of the endemic species obtained from standard floras. Main conclusions: The geographic positions of the two regions, i.e. island versus mainland and the higher elevation of Sierra Nevada are suggested to be the primary causes of the observed differences. The high degree of endemism in the cold environments of Mediterranean mountains’ upper bioclimatic zones indicates a pronounced vulnerability to the impacts of climate change. A continued and intensified species monitoring in the mountains around the Mediterranean basin, therefore, should be considered as a priority research task.

Associations between Fine and Coarse Particles and Mortality in Mediterranean Cities: Results from the MED-PARTICLES Project

Background: Few studies have investigated the independent health effects of different size fractions of particulate matter (PM) in multiple locations, especially in Europe.Objectives: We estimated the short-term effects of PM with aerodynamic diameter ≤ 10 μm (PM10), ≤ 2.5 μm (PM2.5), and between 2.5 and 10 μm (PM2.5–10) on all-cause, cardiovascular, and respiratory mortality in 10 European Mediterranean metropolitan areas within the MED-PARTICLES project.Methods: We analyzed data from each city using Poisson regression models, and combined city-specific estimates to derive overall effect estimates. We evaluated the sensitivity of our estimates to co-pollutant exposures and city-specific model choice, and investigated effect modification by age, sex, and season. We applied distributed lag and threshold models to investigate temporal patterns of associations.Results: A 10-μg/m3 increase in PM2.5 was associated with a 0.55% (95% CI: 0.27, 0.84%) increase in all-cause mortality (0–1 day cumulative lag), and a 1.91% increase (95% CI: 0.71, 3.12%) in respiratory mortality (0–5 day lag). In general, associations were stronger for cardiovascular and respiratory mortality than all-cause mortality, during warm versus cold months, and among those ≥ 75 versus < 75 years of age. Associations with PM2.5–10 were positive but not statistically significant in most analyses, whereas associations with PM10 seemed to be driven by PM2.5.Conclusions: We found evidence of adverse effects of PM2.5 on mortality outcomes in the European Mediterranean region. Associations with PM2.5–10 were positive but smaller in magnitude. Associations were stronger for respiratory mortality when cumulative exposures were lagged over 0–5 days, and were modified by season and age.

Estimating future burned areas under changing climate in the EU-Mediterranean countries

The impacts of climate change on forest fires have received increased attention in recent years at both continental and local scales. It is widely recognized that weather plays a key role in extreme fire situations. It is therefore of great interest to analyze projected changes in fire danger under climate change scenarios and to assess the consequent impacts of forest fires. In this study we estimated burned areas in the European Mediterranean (EU-Med) countries under past and future climate conditions. Historical (1985–2004) monthly burned areas in EU-Med countries were modeled by using the Canadian Fire Weather Index (CFWI).Monthly averages of the CFWI sub-indices were used as explanatory variables to estimate the monthly burned areas in each of the five most affected countries in Europe using three different modeling approaches (Multiple Linear Regression — MLR, Random Forest — RF, Multivariate Adaptive Regression Splines — MARS). MARS outperformed the other methods. Regression equations and significant coefficients of determination were obtained, although there were noticeable differences from country to country.Climatic conditions at the end of the 21st Century were simulated using results from the runs of the regional climate model HIRHAM in the European project PRUDENCE, considering two IPCC SRES scenarios (A2–B2). The MARS models were applied to both scenarios resulting in projected burned areas in each country and in the EU-Med region. Results showed that significant increases, 66% and 140% of the total burned area, can be expected in the EU-Med region under the A2 and B2 scenarios, respectively.

Presence of Artemia franciscana (Branchiopoda, Anostraca) in France: morphological, genetic, and biometric evidence

New parthenogenetic and gonochoristic populations of Artemia were found along the French Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts. The taxonomic identity of these new populations was determined based upon: i) an analysis of the variation in the caudal gene, ii) morphology of the penis and frontal knob of male specimens using scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) and iii) a principal coordinate analysis of selected biometric traits. This analysis showed that all French gonochoristic populations of Artemia were comprised of the New World species A. franciscana (Kellogg, 1906) and not the Mediterranean native species, A. salina. As well, the parthenogenetic populations of Artemia in France are being rapidly replaced populations by the North America A. franciscana. This is a concern for all the European Atlantic and Mediterranean regions and is another example of a New World invasive species potentially decreasing European biodiversity.

Effect of Combined Use of Brackish Water and Nitrogen Fertilizer on Biomass and Sugar Yield of Sweet Sorghum

Soil salinization and non-point source pollution are among the most important and widespread environmental problems in European Mediterranean regions. Sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench var. saccharatum) is a moderate to high salinity tolerant crop with low water and nutrient needs, seen as an alternative to grow in the water scarce regions. A three-year multifactorial study was conducted in southern Portugal to evaluate the combined effects of saline water and nitrogen application on the dry biomass (total, stems, and leaves), sugar content (total reducing sugars and sucrose contents), and sugar yield (here defined as the product of total reducing sugars and stems dry biomass) functions of sweet sorghum. Sorghum dry biomass and sugar yield showed diminishing returns for each incremental change of nitrogen. The use of saline irrigation waters also led to yield reduction. Exception was sucrose content which increased with increasing levels of sodium in the soil. Nitrogen need decreased as the amount of sodium applied increased. Stem dry biomass, sucrose content, and sugar yield progressively increased with progress in the experiment. The effect could be attributed to the increase of the amount of irrigation applied throughout the years, thus increasing the leaching fraction which promoted salt leaching from the root zone, reduced the salinity stress, increased plant transpiration, nitrogen uptake and biomass yield.

Multicriteria assessment in GIS environments for siting biomass plants

This paper presents a complete multicriteria assessment process in GIS environments for the identification of sites suitable for building biomass plants. To achieve this aim, the principal criteria were defined (factors and constraints), evaluated and weighted in the context of Saaty's analytic hierarchies and divided into three groups: environmental, economic and social. The best alternatives were obtained after applying the two decision rules: weighted linear summation (WLS) and ideal point method (IPM). The final stage of the decision problem consisted of a sensitivity analysis of the set of factors and their associated weights using two global methods based on variance, the Soboĺ and the extended-FAST methods. The model was applied in an area of the European Mediterranean Region (Valencia, Spain) where agriculture and forest are representative land uses. The MCA-GIS analysis concluded that the most suitable areas for siting the biomass plant are located near residential zones, by allocating for this purpose only 23% of total area. The sensitivity analysis provided insight into the most influent factors on the model for aiding energy planning decisions, such as physiography, crop types, vegetation, potential demand and transport cost.

The spectral response of Buxus sempervirens to different types of environmental stress – A laboratory experiment

The European Mediterranean regions are expected to encounter drier summer conditions and warmer temperatures for the winter of +2°C and of +5°C for the summer in the next six decennia. As a result the natural vegetation will face harsher conditions due to lower water availability, longer summer droughts and higher temperatures resulting in plant stress conditions. To monitor vegetation conditions like stress and leaf area index dynamics in our study area in Mediterranean France we use earth observation techniques like imaging spectroscopy. To assist image analysis interpretation we carried out a laboratory experiment to investigate the spectral and visible response of Buxus sempervirens, a common Mediterranean species, to five different types of stress: drought, drought-and-heat, light deprivation, total saturation and chlorine poisoning. For 52days plants were subjected to stress. We collected data on the visible and spectral signs, and calculated thirteen vegetation indices. The plant’s response time to different stress types varied from 10 to 32days. Spectroscopic techniques revealed plant stress up to 15days earlier than visual inspection. Visible signs of stress of the plants included curling and shrinking of the leaves, de-colouring of the leaves, leaves becoming breakable, opening up of the plant’s canopy and sagging of the branches. Spectral signs of stress occurred first in the water absorption bands at 1450 and 1940nm, followed by reduced absorption in the visible wavelengths, and next by reduced reflectance in near infrared. Light deprivation did not result in any stress signs, while drought, drought and heat and chlorine poisoning resulted in significant stress. The spectral response did not show differences for different stress types. Analysis of the vegetation indices identified the Carter-2 (R695/R760), the Red–Green Index (R690/R550) and the Vogelman-2 (R734−R747)/(R715+R726) as the best performing ones to identify stress. The lab experiment shows that spectroscopic techniques are useful to detect stress status of plants and in an earlier stage than visible signs of stress become apparent, but that spectroscopy does not reveal the type of plant stress.

SYNERGISTIC USE OF OPTICAL AND RADAR DATA FOR RAPID MAPPING OF FOREST FIRES IN THE EUROPEAN MEDITERRANEAN

Abstract. In a classical approach, optical data are being used for forest fire detection in a rush mode. Difficulties arise due to persistent cloud coverage, haze layers and smoke plumes. In contrast, radar measurements offer high acquisition rates because of their ability to penetrate clouds and their independence of sun illumination. However, a visual interpretation of radar data is generally less intuitive than optical imagery for an untrained image analyst. Thus the main focus of our work was to combine the advantages of both data types and to develop a robust and fast but at the same time precise and transferable algorithm for burned area detection in the European Mediterranean region. Object-based change detection approaches and a synergistic use of optical and radar data can improve detection capabilities. The optical part of the algorithm covers very high resolution satellite images (like SPOT 5) including index calculation such as MSAVI, BAI and NDSWIR in single-temporal approaches and their temporal differences in multi- temporal approaches. Within the scope of both methodologies the burned area can be detected with an accuracy higher than 90%. In line with other authors (Libonati et al., 2011; Pereira et al., 1999) our work confirms the middle infrared band as crucial for burned area detection. The radar algorithm was based on TerraSAR-X StripMap data acquired before and after the forest fires. Different polarisations (VV and HH) have been used to improve the forest fire mapping capability. In addition, a comparison of burned and unburned areas was performed using different backscatter coefficients. These change detection techniques were based on image differences, image ratios and index calculation. The image segmentation was performed by using the new calculated layers. The burned area was then classified via a threshold given by the pre- and post- disaster differences. The classification result achieved an accuracy of 78%. This result shows the limitations of burned area mapping with microwaves. Therefore a combination of the optical and the radar technique, which takes advantage of both the optical accuracy and the ability of microwaves to penetrate clouds, led to the design and implementation of a single- and multi-temporal, object-based and semi-operational tool for burned area mapping.

Use of vegetation to combat desertification and land degradation: Recommendations and guidelines for spatial strategies in Mediterranean lands

A strategy for use of vegetation to control soil erosion has been developed that is spatially targeted at hotspots and flow pathways in the landscape. It is based on the premise that most of the soil erosion in semi-arid areas is by water erosion along specific flow lines. Soil is removed from fields and transported downslope and into channels if the connectivity of flow and sediment pathways is high, causing offsite problems as well as loss of agricultural productivity. Vegetation can reduce that connectivity by decreasing erosion and increasing sedimentation. The research combines mapping and analysis of the connectivity pathways and erosion hotspots with analysis of the most effective indigenous plants to control erosion and suited to the particular landscape position and environment. The crucial innovative element is the combination of physical process understanding with plant ecology, and its spatial application. The scheme has been developed by research in the driest part of the European Mediterranean region, in SE Spain, and examples of application strategies are illustrated. It is particularly suited to upland rain-fed agricultural areas on soft rocks, which are highly vulnerable to land degradation. Recommendations are provided on locations for planting or encouraging vegetation growth and on suitable species. The spatially targeted strategies apply vegetation to the critical locations to intervene in the pathways and this minimal intervention approach still allows cultivation of fields. The methods proposed can form the basis for sustainable catchment management to combat soil erosion and desertification.

Species-specific water use by forest tree species: From the tree to the stand

Forests play a critical role in the hydrological cycle making the study of water use by trees and forest stands of prime importance in the global change context .Very negative effects of increasing and more intense droughts on forest vegetation have been described over the last decades. Symptoms of disease and decline have been associated with changed precipitation patterns in many forests particularly in European temperate and Mediterranean regions. Intra- and inter-specific differences in both physiology and morphology exert a large but not well understood influence on the water balance of forest ecosystems, further affecting their vulnerability to drought. Stand structure and composition influences rainfall interception, runoff and water fluxes of the whole ecosystem. Both expanding plantations of renovated interest for biofuel industry and natural and semi-natural forests must be managed in a sustainable way on the basis of their water consumption. We review the role of key drivers on forest water use such as species composition, tree canopy status of each of them and species specific sensitivity to soil water scarcity. Specifically we discuss the role of these factors for natural forest, but with references also to forest plantations. Water scarcity is expected to be one of the largest societal problems worldwide in the near future, so water use by natural and planted forest ecosystems has become a central subject in current research agendas.

Two-dimensional modeling of water and nitrogen fate from sweet sorghum irrigated with fresh and blended saline waters

The need for reducing irrigation water demand and non-point source pollution all across Europe has made sweet sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench], due to its lower water and nutrient requirements, an interesting alternative to other traditional summer crops in European Mediterranean regions. HYDRUS-2D was used to model the fate of nitrogen in a plot planted with sweet sorghum grown under Mediterranean conditions between 2007 and 2010, while considering drip irrigation scenarios with different levels of nitrogen and salty waters. HYDRUS-2D simulated water contents, ECsw, and NNH4+ and NNO3− concentrations continuously for the entire duration of the field experiment, while producing RMSE between simulated and measured data of 0.030 cm3cm−3, 1.764dSm−1, 0.042mmolcL−1, and 3.078mmolcL−1, respectively. Estimates for sweet sorghum water requirements varied between 360 and 457mm depending upon the crop season and the irrigation treatment. Sweet sorghum proved to be tolerant to saline waters if applied only during one crop season. However, the continuous use of saline waters for more than one crop season led to soil salinization, and to root water uptake reductions due to the increasing salinity stress. The relation found between NNO3− uptake and dry biomass yield (R2=0.71) showed that nitrogen needs were smaller than the uptakes estimated for the scenario with the highest levels of nitrogen application. The movement of N out of the root zone was dependent on the amount of water flowing through the root zone, the amount of N applied, the form of N in the fertilizer, and the timing and number of fertigation events. The simulations with HYDRUS-2D were useful to understand the best strategies toward increasing nutrient uptake and reducing nutrient leaching. In this sense, NNO3− uptakes were higher when fertigation events were more numerous and the amounts applied per event smaller.

Modeling spatial patterns of fire occurrence in Mediterranean Europe using Multiple Regression and Random Forest

Fire occurrence, which results from the presence of an ignition source and the conditions for a fire to spread, is an essential component of fire risk assessment. In this paper, we present and compare the results of the application of two different methods to identify the main structural factors that explain the likelihood of fire occurrence at European scale.Data on the number of fires for the countries of the European Mediterranean region during the main fire season (June–September) were obtained from the European Fire Database of the European Forest Fire Information System. Fire density (number of fires/km2) was estimated based on interpolation techniques and was used as the dependent variable in the model. As predictors, different physical, socio-economic and demographic variables were selected based on their potential influence in fire occurrence and on their availability at the European level. Two different methods were applied for the analysis: traditional Multiple Linear Regression and Random Forest, the latter being a non-parametric alternative based on an ensemble of classification and regression trees. The predictive ability of the two models, the variables selected by each method and their level of importance were compared and the potential implications to forest management and fire prevention were discussed.The Random Forest model showed a higher predictive ability than Multiple Linear Regression. Furthermore, the analysis of the residuals also indicated a better performance of the Random Forest model, showing that this method has potentiality to be applied in the assessment of fire-related phenomena at a broad scale. Some of the variables selected are common to both models; precipitation and soil moisture seem to influence fire occurrence to a large extent. Unemployment rate, livestock density and density of local roads were also found significant by both methods. Maps of the likelihood of fire occurrence were obtained from each method at 10km resolution, based on the selected variables. Both models show that the spatial distribution of fire occurrence likelihood is highly variable in this region: highest fire likelihood is prevalent in the northwest region of the Iberian Peninsula and southern Italy, whereas it is low in northern France, northeast Italy and north of Greece. In the most fire-prone areas, preventive measures could be implemented, associated to the factors identified by both models.

Prevalence of Multiple Sclerosis: Door-to-Door Survey in Three Rural Areas of Coastal Black Sea Regions of Turkey

Background: Little information exists on multiple sclerosis (MS) in Turkey. With a door-to-door survey in an urban part of Istanbul, we recently reported a prevalence rate of 101/100,000 population. We therefore investigated three rural areas of Turkey at the same latitude. Methods: The same survey methods were used for total populations of two rural areas (Kandıra and Geyve) near Istanbul, and for half the population of Erbaa, all near 40° north latitude on the Black Sea coast. Results: In Kandıra, 5 of 8 suspects were diagnosed as having MS among 8,171 screened, resulting in a prevalence rate of 61/100,000. Geyve with 7 MS cases in 17,016 screened had a prevalence of 41/100,000, and Erbaa with 15 MS cases in 28,177 screened one of 53/100,000. Together they showed a prevalence of 51/100,000. Of the 27 patients, 20 were women; 25 had definite and 2 possible MS, the former all with abnormal laboratory findings. Average ages were 30.5 years at onset and 39.1 years at diagnosis. Clinical features and course were typical of European MS. Conclusion: These findings indicate that Turkey is a high-risk MS area, similar to most regions of Mediterranean Europe, where all recent increases are likely due to (undefined) environmental factors.

Effect of Scotch broom, Cytisus scoparius, pod size and patch density on Exapion fuscirostre (Coleoptera, Apionidae) seed weevil oviposition

AbstractCytisus scoparius (L) Link (Fabaceae) is a broom species of European origin introduced both accidentally and as an ornamental plant to Australia, New Zealand and America, where it is classified as a noxious invasive species. One of its main seed predators is Exapion (Exapion) fuscirostre (Fabricius), a weevil with a Palearctic distribution and which has been introduced to United States and New Zealand as a biological control agent. Factors influencing the insect's choice of oviposition location are crucial for the plant's reproductive success. We examined E. fuscirostre oviposition on the host plant, C. scoparius, in the European Mediterranean region. We analysed the effect of pod size, seed abortion rate and host plant patch density on seed infestation rate. Oviposition was greater in patches with low‐medium plant densities. Oviposition was also negatively related with seed abortion rate per pod and the rate of infestation by other seed‐eating insects. Pod dimensions, particularly width, were positively related with E. fuscirostre oviposition.

Historical tsunamis in the Adriatic Sea

Tsunami activity in the Adriatic Sea from the sixteenth century until the present has been analysed with the ultimate goal to improve the European tsunami catalogue and provide data for a new geo-database of tsunami events in the European-Mediterranean region. The study encompasses twenty-seven events, nine on the western and eighteen on the eastern coast of the Adriatic, with special attention being devoted to contemporary sources and to local journals and newspapers. For all the analysed events, the path of information from coeval sources, through the nineteenth century and up to modern tsunami catalogues, has been constructed. Tsunamis on the western coast have already been studied, but to obtain a coherent picture of tsunamigenic activity in the Adriatic Sea, they have been included in this work. Furthermore, the study was extended to see whether they had propagated to the opposite coast. Most of the events on the eastern coast have now been systematically analysed for the first time. The search of bibliographical sources revealed three new reports on tsunamis on the eastern coast that had not been previously recorded in international publications. The study established that, out of the eighteen eastern Adriatic events, twelve can be considered false, while six were true tsunamis. In the last 600 years, fifteen true tsunami events occurred in the Adriatic. One was very strong, six were strong or rather strong, and eight were light tsunamis. As a final result of this analysis, carried out according to standardised criteria, fifteen Adriatic tsunami events will be inserted in the TRANSFER (Tsunami Risk ANd Strategies For the European Region) database for the European-Mediterranean region.

Mediterranean diet adherence during pregnancy and fetal growth: INMA (Spain) and RHEA (Greece) mother–child cohort studies

Dietary intake of specific nutrients or food groups during pregnancy could influence fetal growth, but scant evidence is available on effects of dietary patterns. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of Mediterranean diet (MD) adherence during pregnancy on fetal growth in two population-based mother-child cohorts in Spain and Greece. We studied 2461 mother-newborn pairs from the Spanish multi-centre 'INMA' study (Atlantic area: INMA-Atlantic; Mediterranean area: INMA-Mediterranean), and 889 pairs from the 'RHEA' study in Crete, Greece. Maternal diet during pregnancy was assessed by FFQ and MD adherence was evaluated through an a priori score. Fetal growth restriction was based on a customised model, and multivariate log-binomial and linear regression models were used to adjust for several confounders. MD scores differ significantly between the cohorts with women in INMA-Atlantic reporting higher intakes of fish and dairy products, while women in the Mediterranean area reported higher intakes of cereals, vegetables and fruits. Women with high MD adherence had a significantly lower risk of delivering a fetal growth-restricted infant for weight (risk ratios: 0·5; 95% CI 0·3, 0·9) in the INMA-Mediterranean cohort. Stratified analysis by smoking revealed that higher MD adherence increased birth weight and birth length in smoking mothers, whereas this effect was not apparent in non-smoking mothers. The results of the present study show that several types of MD exist across European Mediterranean regions. High MD adherence may modify the detrimental effect of smoking on birth size, but overall effects of diet were not universal for the studies in this analysis.

TRENDS IN RECOVERY OF MEDITERRANEAN SOIL CHEMICAL PROPERTIES AND MICROBIAL ACTIVITIES AFTER INFREQUENT AND FREQUENT WILDFIRES

ABSTRACTSince the 1970s, increase in fire frequency has been observed in all European Mediterranean regions. The objectives of this study were (1) to determine the effects of wildfire frequency on the recovery at short‐ and long‐term of soil chemical and microbial properties and (2) to identify the mechanisms underlying the recovery of these sites properties. Soils from 17 plots (Maures mountains range, Var, France) were classified into 5 wildfire regimes (i.e. not burned since at least 57 years ago, infrequently and frequently burned‐with time since fire between 4 and 17 years). Soil samples from these plots were analysed for their nutrient content, chemical functions of soil organic matter (SOM) using FT‐MIR spectroscopy and microbial mineralising activities. Our results showed that the frequent wildfire regime slowed down the recovery in the short term of SOM spectroscopic properties and nutrient availability. Both low quantity and low quality (i.e. high percentage of aromatic and phenolic organic forms) of soil organic matter were found to be related to soil microbial recovery at 4 years after frequent wildfires. The frequent wildfires improved the recovery in net nitrification and nitrate content, leading to an increase in catabolic evenness and a recovery in microbial C‐substrate utilisation profiles between 4 and 17 years. However, frequent wildfires slowed down the recovery of hydrolytic enzyme pool (i.e. FDA hydrolases) and phenol oxidase activity, both involved in soil C cycling. Overall, our observations suggest that 4 fires in 50 years is a threshold beyond which soil quality may be endangered. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley &amp; Sons, Ltd.

New Regional Moment Tensors in South Africa

Regional moment tensors (RMTs) provide important information for seismotectonic and hazard studies in regions with low to moderate seismicity, where infrequent earthquakes of Mw ≥ ∼4.0–4.5 occur that are too small for global momenttensor techniques. Moment-tensor analysis involves fitting theoretical waveforms with observed broadband waveforms and inverting for the moment-tensor elements ( e.g. , Aki and Richards 1980; Jost and Herrmann 1989). One powerful tool to calculate RMTs is the time domain surface wave waveform inversion code TDMT_INVC (Dreger and Helmberger 1993; Pasyanos et al. 1996; Dreger 2003). In recent years RMTs have been routinely calculated with this software in many parts of the world such as western Canada (Ristau et al. 2003, 2007), California (Dreger and Helmberger 1993; Romanowicz et al. 1993; Pasyanos et al. 1996), Alaska (Ratchkovski and Hansen 2002), Japan (Kubo et al. 2002), Taiwan (Kao et al. 1998), the European–Mediterranean region (Bernardi et al. 2004), and New Zealand (Ristau 2008). Only a few moment tensors/focal mechanisms are available for South Africa. This is due to moderate tectonic and deep mine-related seismicity, as well as, until recently, a sparse distribution of broadband seismometers in the South African National Seismograph Network (SANSN) (Saunders et al. 2008). A unique opportunity presented itself when the dense, very broadband Incorporated Research Institutions in Seismology (IRIS) PASSCAL Kaapvaal craton array was deployed in South Africa ( e.g. , Nguuri et al. 2001). From this array we identified three near regional Mw ∼4.0 earthquakes with suitable waveform data to calculate RMTs with the TDMT_INVC software. Our goal is to determine the moment magnitude, earthquake mechanism, and focal depth in order to 1) make progress in resolving the difference between local and moment magnitudes routinely determined with the SANSN; and 2) expand our understanding of the regional …

Rationale and methods of the cardiometabolic Valencian study (Escarval-Risk) for validation of risk scales in Mediterranean patients with hypertension, diabetes or dyslipidemia.

BackgroundThe Escarval-Risk study aims to validate cardiovascular risk scales in patients with hypertension, diabetes or dyslipidemia living in the Valencia Community, a European Mediterranean region, based on data from an electronic health recording system comparing predicted events with observed during 5 years follow-up study.Methods/DesignA cohort prospective 5 years follow-up study has been designed including 25000 patients with hypertension, diabetes and/or dyslipidemia attended in usual clinical practice. All information is registered in a unique electronic health recording system (ABUCASIS) that is the usual way to register clinical practice in the Valencian Health System (primary and secondary care). The system covers about 95% of population (near 5 million people). The system is linked with database of mortality register, hospital withdrawals, prescriptions and assurance databases in which each individual have a unique identification number. Diagnoses in clinical practice are always registered based on IDC-9. Occurrence of CV disease was the main outcomes of interest. Risk survival analysis methods will be applied to estimate the cumulative incidence of developing CV events over time.DiscussionThe Escarval-Risk study will provide information to validate different cardiovascular risk scales in patients with hypertension, diabetes or dyslipidemia from a low risk Mediterranean Region, the Valencia Community.

Testing the validity of a Cd soil quality standard in representative Mediterranean agricultural soils under an accumulator crop

The validity of a quality standard for cadmium (Cd) in representative agricultural Mediterranean soils under an accumulator crop ( Lactuca sativa L.) is evaluated in this work considering both its effect on the crop growth (biomass production) and the metal accumulation in the edible part of the plant. Four soils with different properties relevant to regulate the behaviour of heavy metals were selected from the Valencian Region, a representative area of the European Mediterranean Region. For all soils, the effective concentration of added Cd causing 50% inhibition (EC 50) on the biomass production was much higher than the minimum legal concentration used to declare soils as contaminated by cadmium, i.e. 100 times the baseline value for Cd, in Spain (Spanish Royal Decree 9/2005). As expected, Cd toxicity in the crop was higher in the soils having less carbonate content. On the other hand, for all soils, from the second dose on, which represents 10-times the baseline value for Cd, the metal content in crops exceeded the maximum level established for leaf crops by the European legislation (Regulation EC no. 466/2001). Soil salinity and coarse textures make the accumulation of Cd in the edible part of the plant easier. Therefore, the legal baseline soil cadmium content established by the Spanish legislation seems not valid neither from the point of view of the effect on the crop growth nor from the point of view of the metal accumulation in the edible part of the plant. In order to realistically declare contaminated soils by heavy metals, soil quality standards should be proposed taking into account the soil properties. Further research in other agricultural areas of the region would improve the basis for proposing adequate soil quality standards for heavy metals as highlighted by the European Thematic Strategy for Soil Protection.